Weeder and cultivator.



W. F. MENZENBAGH.

WEEDER AND CULTIVATOR. APPLICATION man APR. 12. um.

1,244,531. Patented 06 5.30, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I H i Za46 49 firm/aver W. F. MENZENBACH.

v WEEDER AND CULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 1917.

, f fifiln Patented Oct. 30,1917. v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Z QN mm/mr I "WILLIAM F. iv nnznrre'ncn, or ELK :arvnn, IDAHO.

WEEDER AND CULTIVAT OR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Applioationfiled April 12, 1917. Serial No. 161,656.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM F; MENZEN- neon, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Elk River, in the county of Clear: water, State of Idaho, have invented new and useful Improvements in Weeders and Cultivators, of which, the following is a specification. v v

This invention relates to improvements in Weeders which are so designed and constructed that they also perform the function of a cultivator.

In weeding fine ash soil of the, powdered fineness such as is common in the Northwest, it is highly desirable not to break up and comminute the surface clods andlumps for the reason that the latter serve to prevent the soil from being blown away by high winds. On the other hand, inheavy soihit is, desirable to break up the surface as much as possible. o

Now it is one of the features of my invention to provide a weeder which is ad justable for use in. various kinds of soil so that it may perform its weeding function with equal facility ,andefiiciency in any variety of soil without cultivating such soil in a manner contraryto what hasbeen considered the customary and best; methods. In this connection, my improved weeder functions not only, {to-uplift and elevate the weeds but also to break up, sever and crush the same inlsuch a manner that theywill not only bereadily plowed under without supporting the furrowsin a manner to leave air gaps,butalso, sothat the Weeds will be exposed to the sun in their broken state in such a mannerthat they'will quickly rot and thereby become useful as fertilizer.

My invention includes flexible [means for supporting a weeder frame from a; main frame, the weeder frame having weeding cylinders, mounted thereon whereby the weeder frame will be capablev of either bodily or end elevation when the weeders' encounter obstacles thereby enabling the weeder frame'to-ride over such obstructions, because of the flexible suspension and avoiding the necessity; of special adjustment; 1

, In many cases, it is desired to have the foremost weeder adjustedlto weedshallow while the. following-weeder is adjusted to weed relativelysdeep, and it is a, feature of my invention tonot'only providefor such adjustment butfto also. elevatef'andlower the weeder frame without disturbing such,

adjustment.

My invention includes the novel idea of connecting the rotating weeders up -with front rotating members in order to drive the weeders, and this drive connection is not only used, as a drive, but also as a means for maintaining the flexibly supported weeder frame in a predetermined position either while the machine is advancing in a straight course or when it is rounding a curve or turn. In this connection, my .improved weeder comprises aframe which is supported at its rear end by a casterbearing wheel and which is supported at its front end by bearing wheels which are always parallel with the longitudinal axis of the machine, the tongue being fixed to the machine whereby turns are rounded or negotiated because of the presence of the caster bearing wheel.

Other features and objects of the invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be more particularlypointed out in and by the appended claims.

In the drawings I Figure '1 is a plan View of one form of my invention. 7 1 Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation thereof.

Fig. 8. is a face view of one of the spike holding cylinder rings.

Fig. 4C is an edge view thereof. Fig. 5 is'a detached view of one of the weeding members showing the fiat side of a chisellike weeding end.

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation thereof.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawings.

In the form shown, a main frame'is provided which is u of substantially U-shaped form having a bight 1 and limbs 2. At the front of the machine the limbs 2 are rigidly secured to a bolster 3 to the latter of which an axle L is journaled in such a. manner as to be held against movement from a right angle position tothe longitudinal axis of the machine. A pair of front bearing wheels 5, are mounted upon the axle 4L and each bear, ing wheel has fixed thereto a sprocket wheel 6, the purpose of which will presently ap pear. The rear end ofthe frame is supported by a casterpbearing wheel 7 which is journaled in fork 8. The fork 8 is Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

tween the front and rear bearingwheels, isl a weeder frame which 18 formed of relatively long front and rear timbers or members l l and 15, respectively, which'are con nected by relatively short lateral members 16. Said weeder frame is provided'with *fiexible connections 17 which are united at 18, to the bracket 10, and which are disposed in diverging relation so that their opposite terminals may be connected at 19, with member 15, ofthe weeder frame,-to resist lateral swaying movement of said frame and also to prevent displacement of the frame when the machine is "being backed up. A flexible connection 20 is united at to the front member l-l gand at 22. to the bolster 3, to hold said weeder frame in posit-ion against the resistance of drag.

I will next refer to the manner in which the weeder frame is suspended, pendently, from. the main frame.

Actuating and'i dler shafts 22 and 23,.

so as to control'the depth of dig of the,

weeding members. Flexible lines such as ropesor cables 31 are adjustably connected to the front member 14 by bolts 32 whereby adjustment of the frontend of the weeder frame may be effected. Thus it will be seen that adjustment is provided whereby the front end of the weederframe'm'ay be ele-' vated with respectfto the rearend tocause the-foremost weeder to dig shallow while the rearmost weeder. digs relatively deep. Thecables 31'are wound about sheaves 33, on shaft 22 so that when shaft.22, which maybe termed the adjusting shaft, is ro tated, the cables'28fand3l will'be simultaneously woun'dup on the sheaves 27 and 33- to synchronously elevate the .weeder' frame at points forwardly and rearwardly thereof. Furthermore, if the weeder frame should strikenn obstruction, these flexible connections, together with the flexible connections Hand 20, would'permit' the 'weeder frame to rise up, until the obstruction has passed,

whereup on 1 the weeder frame would descend by gravity to its normal position. This avoids special ad ustment, and stoppmg of the machine when "there is encountered obstructions-which with other forms of weeders necessitate adjustment or stopping.

rkhand actuated lever 34 is loosely journaled on shaft 22 and is provided with" a pawl for engag ement with ratchet teeth 86, of a ratchet wheel which is fixed on shaft 22. The pawl is pivoted at 37, to the lever 3%,and is actuated by ahand griplever and 'rod device 38---a11d 39, of common con be controlled by lever 3% after locking pawl -l0 isjreleased. v s

I will next describe-the improved weeding cylinders.

Cylinder shafts and 46 arejournaled in suitablejbearings a? and 48 which-"latter are mounted upon the members 16.- Cylinders 4-9 and 50 are mounted on said shaft; Each shaft has on each end thereof, sprocket wheels 51 and52 and chains 53*and 5st are trained over said sprocketwheelssefas to cause the cylinders to rotate in unison when thecylinders are driven. The front cylinder l9 has-sprocket wheels" over which chains 55 are trained, saidchains 55 extendingforwardly where they are trained over sprocket wheel 6. Nowit will be seen that the chains 55 are laterallydisposed with respect to thelongitudi'nal center of the 1na chine and thus anydrag on the weeding frame will; be taken up centrally, by the flexible connection 20, andwill be taken up laterally," by the chains 55. This will not keep thechain 55 tautxbut it willalso be seen that the chain 55' will prevent "the weeder frame from swinging laterallyabout the central tension connection 20; Thus when the weeder rounds a'curve,the-chains 55willmai1itain the weederframein'a pre determined position justthe same as when the machineis being? advanced in a straight course. I Chains 55 constitute transmission means for rotating' the cylinders4t9 and 50, the chains 5'3' and "54s communicatingrotar Y transmission 'fromfthe .cylinder 49 to the cylinder 50. 7 a I or I will next describe the'weeding' members and the manner in 1 whichthe weeding membersare mounted upon the cylinders A"plurality 0f 'weeder'holding disks 56 are s'uitably fixed upon the cylinders in the desired spaced relation, the disks having hubs" 57"which fit tightly on' the cylinder.

Laterally of the disks 56 are radially disposed grooves 15 into which weeding spikes 59 are adapted to be inserted. The inner ends 60 of the spike 59 will abut against the peripheries of the hubs 57 and single bolt holes 61 which register with bolt holes 62 permit of locking the weeder members on their disks with single bolts. I preferably provide the weeding members with diverging chisel shaped terminals 63 which not only present a sharp edge 64 but which are of sufficient area to agitate the surface of the soil, whereby cultivating action will be effected. The cylinders are sufiiciently close together so that the weeding members will over-lap or intermesh, as will be clearly seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2, so that when the diggers or weeders have elevated a weed, the weed will be mutilated and broken up by reason of the oppositely moving intermeshing members. Thus the weeding members of the front cylinder will always be clear.

However, if the weeding members of the rear cylinder should carry fragmentsof weeds over and downwardly, I provide means such as clearing fingers 65, mounted on member 50, and which project between the members of the rear cylinder, to clear the latter. Thus it will be seen that the weeding members are self-clearing.

It is believed that the advantages and utility of my invention will be fully appreciated from the foregoing description, and while I have herein shown and described one specific form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the claims may import.

I claim:

1. In a weeder and cultivator, a main frame having a caster bearing wheel at the rear thereof, an axle fixed, to the front of said frame against movement from a right angle position to the longitudinal axis of the machine, bearing wheels for said axle, a tongue fixed to the machine, a weeder frame between the front and rear bearing wheels,

weeder cylinders rotatively mounted in said weeder frame and having weeding members projecting radially therefrom, adjustable flexible mechanism for supporting said weeder frame from said main frame, flexible means connecting said weeder frame fore and aft with said main frame, means for causing said cylinders to rotate in unison when driven, and transmission means drivingly connecting one of said cylinders with the front bearing wheels at lateral points along the length of such cylinder whereby said weeder frame will be held against movement from a predetermined position under drag either when the weeder is being advanced in a straight course or when rounding a turn, substantially as described.

2. In a weeder and cultivator, a main frame having a caster bearing wheel'at the rear thereof, an axle fixed to the front of said frame against movement from a right angle position to the longitudinal axis of the machine, bearing wheels for said axle, a tongue fixed to the machine, a weeder frame, weeder cylinders rotatively mounted in said weeder frame and having weeding members projecting therefrom, flexible mechanism for supporting said weeder frame in suspended relation below said main frame, means for causing said cylinders to rotate in unison when driven, and transmission chains disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the machine for driving one of said cylinders from said front bearing wheels whereby drag on the weeding frame will not only maintain said chains taut when the machine is advancing in a straight course or rounding a curve and whereby said chains will hold said weeder frame to a predetermined position either on a straight course or when rounding a curve, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I hereby afiix my si ature.

WILLIAM F. MENZENBAOH.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.? 

